I agree, but I don't think they are, not the way they hang down on a HeMtt - I have never seen them up close, so I don't know. I have seen many pictures of Hemtts and never noticed a bent step, and I am sure if it had been like that I would have. Maybe a member that has experience with them can clarify that? I did look at the picture on the hemtt and thought that with their step size and proximity to the tire, they could shred that tire if it bent backwards, except the tire is rotating forward most of the time, thus it would just push it away...